Beyond the Myth
by Terria Levend
Summary: A nymph, a constellation, and a shadow of a memory: what do these things have to do with the mysteries a strange Greek shaman brings to Tokyo? The story has come to a close. [chapter ten out of ten: updated]
1. The Alleyway

**_B e _y **ond **_Th_e _M y _t **h  
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Author's Note: I have to say, the publishing of this story came to be just as surprising to me as it is to you! Originally, this wasn't even supposed to happen. But, anyway, here I am, and I present to you my new fic: a secret, a stalker, a nymph and a flower: A Shaman King adventure with oodles of Greek Mythology!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Shaman King! -slaps-

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"I can't believe Anna asked us to buy groceries! AGAIN!"

"…"

"I mean, we've already gone twice today! Does she spend all the time it takes us to go and come back writing up a new list?"

"…"

"Is it THAT hard to remember to put everything on one list? I mean, if she spent a little more time putting together the shopping lists and a little less time watching those godforsaken soap operas—Yoh? Are you listening?"

"…What?"

Manta sighed exasperatedly and shook his head in mock dismay. "Why?" he groaned, looking up at the sky and putting his hands together to make it seem like he was saying a prayer. "Why must my best friend be such an idiot?"

The considerably taller brunette boy only rubbed his eyes and yawned, "I'm tired", while the other ridiculously miniscule blond boy beside him mimed choking himself. He gave up a few moments later, after finding out that pretending to strangle himself while trying to hold a shopping bag at the same time wasn't necessarily the safest thing to do while walking through the streets of Tokyo at nine in the evening.

He sighed again and resumed walking beside his friend. The street was silent and ominous, its alleyways echoing with the sounds of their footsteps. Manta realized he was falling behind and so hurried closer towards Yoh, not wanting to fall victim to whatever was lurking, unseen, in the shadows around him.

"So…" he said nervously, looking around cautiously. "Is…erm…Ren staying for dinner?"

"…dunno"

Manta frowned, but pressed on. "What about Ryu? Will he be over to cook this time, too? And Horo and Pirika, will they come visit us?"

Yoh looked down at Manta curiously. "I dunno" he repeated. "Why do you want to know?"

It was Manta's turn to be quiet. He flushed ever so slightly and looked at the floor, trying to avoid Yoh's gaze. "No particular reason" he mumbled, and then fell silent.

The truth was, ever since the end of the shaman tournament Manta had…well, _missed _everyone. The inn was too large, lonely and empty now that he was used to having so many people around. Occasionally Ryu would come over to visit for dinner (well, he would be the one cooking dinner, but _still_). Ren and Jun were in and out of town, they would stay for a few days every month or so.

As for Lyserg and Chocolove, he hadn't the slightest idea where they had gone. They had probably returned to England and America. And Horohoro and Pirika were back at Hokkaido, though they came to visit around once a month or so…

Manta sighed mentally and looked up. They were nearing the corner of the street now, and Manta was secretly relieved, as the alleys around him were making him feel…uneasy.

As if on cue, Manta seemed to spot a flash of green dart in front of him. Yoh stopped, and Manta looked around warily, subconsciously drawing closer to Yoh so as to be able to hide behind him if needed.

Amidamaru materialized above the two, giving Manta quite a scare. A shiver ran down his spine and he looked up at Amidamaru anxiously. "Did you…?" he began, but stopped when he saw the look of concentration on the ghost's face.

The aforementioned ghost suddenly whipped his head around and looked at Yoh. "I feel…" he said, frowning deeply. "I feel a foreign presence"

The two friends and the ghost stood in place for a few long minutes, trying to squint through the darkness for the mysterious…"presence". Manta opened his mouth to speak, but yelped instead as the flash of ghostly olive green appeared once more. Manta choked on a gasp, but Yoh stood his ground firmly.

"Wait" he called out, trying to stop the thing from disappearing again. The said _thing_ seemed to hover in place for a while, and then, slowly, began to float towards them.

Manta gasped as he began to make out the ghostly features of a young woman in her own vaporous light. She stopped only a few inches from them, facing them so close they could see every detail in her translucent face.

But was it really a woman? Her body was slender and tall and her limbs seemed to branch out from her body in a root-like complexity. Her skin harbored a soft green tinge and her dark, green hair billowed out from behind her head until it wrapped her whole body, clothing her fully.

Thin lips parted and she began to speak, her silky voice probing their minds.

"My name is Melia, Daughter of Oceanus, sister of the Meliae, the ash-tree nymphs" Her large brown eyes bore into them, making the hairs at the back of Manta's neck prick up. Her voice was layered with something magical, something wraithlike and indistinct, the sheer lucidity was…ethereal. If this girl truly were a ghost, she was defiantly not one of a human.

"Melia" Yoh said determinedly. "I'd like to help you, but I need to know—are you a ghost?"

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, before saying, somewhat icily, "I am the spirit of an ash-tree nymph, yes"

"Do you…" Yoh began, but stopped, not knowing how to continue. He looked at Amidamaru and shrugged, as if asking him to take over.

Amidamaru cleared his throat with some authority and began. "Do you…erm…have a…a _human_ you…erm…watch over?"

The dark street echoed with silence. Then,

"As a matter of fact, yes" she said slowly, batting her eyelashes at the samurai ghost for effect, who, in turn, flushed deeply. "Would you like to meet her? She's _very_ nice…"

Manta gulped. Something about her alluring voice seemed…out of place. "Yoh…" he began, trying to warn his friend…

But Yoh just smiled. "Sure. Nothing like meeting another shaman, eh Manta?" he continued without awaiting his friend's reply. "So!" he said, turning towards the spirit of the nymph before him. "Let's go!"

The nymph merely smiled, showing all her teeth. Manta suppressed a yelp after seeing her incisors glint in the dim light of the flickering city lights around them.

She turned and began gliding towards the alley from which she had emerged. Manta clung to the side of Yoh's pants and followed, heart thumping against his ribcage. Melia disappeared into the alley. Her head reappeared again and she held out a beckoning hand.

They stood before the alleyway and squinted. There was no telling what could have been in there. Manta thought he heard a rat scuttle away at his feet and shivered. Yoh and Amidamaru walked in, and Manta quickly followed.

The alley was dark, the pungent smell of garbage lingering in the air. They were guided only by the ectoplasmic glow of Amidamaru and Melia, now knowing what awaited them in the midst of all the shadows…

Yoh gasped and dropped the bag of groceries he was holding. Manta scurried forward, and let out a shrill squeak. "Y-Yoh…" he asked, shaking. "I-is that…?"

Yoh nodded grimly. He turned to Manta. "Manta. There's a pay phone a block behind us. Call the onsen and ask Anna to meet us at the hospital. We're going to have to be a little late"

Manta only squeaked in reply and scampered away obediently. Yoh turned towards the grinning nymph before him. At her feet lay the bloody body of a girl, her breathing shallow and slow.

"Did you hear that, Akantha?" asked Melia, directing her question to the dying girl before her. "The nice boy is going to get help! I'm _so _happy. It would have been ever so lonely if you had died"

The ash-tree guardian floated down until she was at the girl's level. She nudged her softly with a long, branch like finger. The girl groaned in return, the mere intensity causing her to cough and sputter. "Oh, come on now. Don't be rude. Say thank you!"

As if collecting all the remaining energy she had left, the girl cracked open an eyelid, fixing an aghast Yoh and Amidamaru with a bleary eye. A single tear fell down her face, making a small path in the dried blood on her cheek.

Melia frowned, then looked up at Yoh and his ghost. "I'm sorry. She seems to have forgotten her manners. Rest assured, we thank you. It's not every day we meet other shamans!" she paused, and grinned slyly. "And oh-so handsome ones too!"

Yoh tried to retain his somber expression, though it was broken by the slight flush that was creeping up his cheeks.

There was silence in the alleyway. Yoh moved towards the girl and knelt down beside her. Melia grasped her hand. Everything was still. Time had stopped moving. Then…

"Yoh! Yoh!"

Yoh looked up in time to see Manta running towards him.

The sound of sirens pierced the air.

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**Author's Note:** So here it is, Chapter One! I can't wait to here your reviews. Flames accepted.

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	2. Conversations With a Nymph

**_B e _y **ond **_Th_e _M y _t **h

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**Author's Note: **Someone asked me about the pairing in this story. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure yet. However, I do have a slight idea, but naturally it's tentative and I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise! Also, I will not be adding a lot of YohxAnna.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Shaman King. Well, only a few versions of the French manga but I share those with my friend.

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"Yoh Asakura"

A cold voice broke Yoh's train of thought.

Yoh winced and looked up; praying the owner of the voice wouldn't be…

It was.

"Anna!" Yoh said with as much pseudo-happiness he could muster under the circumstances.

The cracking sound of a slap echoed through the Funbari Hill Hospital waiting room, causing many other worried relatives and friends of patients to look up and glare, offended. Anna only stared back until everyone had looked away again, embarrassed.

"Aw, Anna…" Yoh said, poking his swollen cheek and wincing. "Whydja have to go and do tha—"

Yoh was silenced again by yet another slap to his other cheek, this time issued by Anna's notorious "Legendary Left". Tears welled at the corners of Yoh's eyes as he tried to nurse his stinging cheek.

"Anna…" he groaned.

Tamao's voice floated up to them from the reception desk.

"No, erm, you see, we're here, to see a friend, and…"

Anna shook her head and glared in her direction, and then looked back at Yoh. "Don't move" she hissed, and then turned on her heel and made her way towards the reception desk.

"Is she gone?" squeaked a voice from behind the vending machine.

"Yeah" said Yoh. "You can come out now"

Manta emerged and inched towards a chair, collapsing in it.

Tamao approached the two, followed by Anna, who pushed her way forward so she was facing Yoh.

She fixed him with a narrowed eye.

"You brought me all the way here" she growled menacingly. "For an ­_Akantha Calpis?_"

"Wait" said Yoh, dreading where this conversation was going. "You don't—"

Anna raised her hand to slap Yoh for the third time that night. "Don't tell me I don't understand, Yoh Asakura, because I understand perfectly well!" She was about to bring it down to Yoh's face but stopped halfway, eyes wide, and let her hand fall down to her side.

"What," she whispered through clenched teeth. "In the name of all that is Japanese, is _that_?"

Manta, who was cowering in the corner, having successfully gone unnoticed the whole time, cautiously craned his neck to follow her gaze.

"Ah, Anna…" squeaked Tamao. "I—I think it's a ghost"

"I know it's a ghost Tamao!" she snarled. "But what is it doing with _Yoh_?"

"It—it's Akantha's ghost" piped up Manta, immediately regretting the action.

"Akantha?" asked Anna coldly.

Manta nodded. "I think that's what her name was." He gestured towards the ghost. "Her name is Melia. She led us to Akantha. She was badly hurt"

Anna stared at Manta for a moment, and then looked at Yoh. "Is this true?" she asked coolly.

Yoh nodded slowly, and then opened his mouth to speak, but Melia cut in.

"I am Melia of the Meliae, the ash-tree nymphs, daughters of Oceanus" she batted her long eyelashes at Anna and Tamao.

"I see" said Anna icily.

Melia ignored her. "Akantha and I were here in Tokyo, Japan to meet someone who apparently described himself as wielding information about Akantha's family. Poor Akantha. She is _so_ intent on finding about her past. It's dramatic, isn't it?"

Anna said nothing.

Melia nodded and pressed on. "Of course, we never got to meet that person. We were attacked on our way to the _rendezvous_ point. Akantha was drained of furyoku from the long journey. Naturally she was quite vulnerable to attacks and was harmed greatly." She paused to shake her head.

Yoh perked up. "You were _attacked_?"

Melia nodded her head. "Yes, we were. By these awfully big burly men with dogs. It was really gruesome!" she said, sounding like a child describing a gory horror movie.

"Luckily" she continued, "Yoh and his ghost and friend were passing by around a quarter of an hour after the attackers had left"

"Wow…" said Tamao, clearly in awe. Melia nodded solemnly.

"So…" Anna said, finally looking convinced. "I take it you weren't a human when you were alive?"

Melia shook her head. "No. I was an ash-tree nymph. I already said that."

"A what?" asked Tamao, puzzled.

Manta extracted his dictionary and flipped through a few pages before he found what he was looking for.

"Nymph," he began. "Noun. Greek Mythology. A beautiful young goddess who presides in various parts of nature. Some nymphs are subject to death."

"That's me" said Melia, fluttering her eyelashes seductively. "Of course, I'm not a myth, now, am I?"

"Some nymphs are subject to death…" said Tamao, thoughtfully. She looked at Melia. "Like you?"

Melia glared, causing Tamao to recoil. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I didn't—I mean, I don't—"

Melia quickly transformed her scowl into a beautiful smile, baring her incisors at Tamao.

"Of course I am subject to die. I am an ash-tree nymph, I am a guardian of what is alive. I grow with it, I suffer if it is mutilated and I die when it finally withers away. It is the circle of life."

Yoh stared stupidly, as if the sheer complexity of what she had said was still being processed. "So…" he said after a while. "I take it you're from Greece right? You and Akantha?"

Melia nodded. _"Gavdos._ An island off the coast of _Kriti_.Only around a hundred people there. We live alone"

Tamao nodded.

The ghost of a handsome young man wandered into the room, looking lost. He glided over towards a red haired woman across them. He was trying to talk to her, but a doctor walked into him and began talking to the woman instead.

The woman began to shake and sob, while the ghost reached out to shake her, but his hand slipped through her shoulder.

Manta looked at Yoh, who stared back and shook his head. Tamao blinked back tears. Anna turned to Melia, but she had disappeared.

The waiting room was relatively quiet. The four finally decided to leave at eleven. Melia still hadn't reappeared.

"Where do you think she went?" Yoh asked, breaking the silence on the long walk home. It began to drizzle slightly.

Manta shrugged. "To visit Akantha? To the spiritual plane?"

Yoh was quiet. The quiet pitter-patter of rain on the sidewalk was the only thing that could be heard. Occasionally a car hissed by, headlights temporarily illuminating the falling rain.

"Yeah…" he said, looking thoughtful. "Maybe"

Unbeknownst to the four, a raven haired teenage boy was withdrawing into the shadows just around the corner, clutching in his hand a single, black iris.

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	3. Awakening

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**Author's Note: **Haha. My friend Louise finished reading the last chapter, then turned to me and said, "That dude was holding an _EYE?" _Haha, Louise. Haha. A black iris in this case is a type of flower. Wikipedia it or something.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Shaman King. Just this plot.

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Though he refused to admit it to himself, Demitri Galanis was quite the spoilt brat. As a child he was home schooled by a private tutor in the Galanis's private estate on the coast of the Greek island of Crete, the "field trips" they took were weekends to the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

Whatever Demitri had asked for, he had gotten. At the age of eight he had three limousines under his name. At ten he was given a building on the estate to call his own.

Naturally, all his connections to the real world were severed with the exceeded materialistic pampering. Demitri was friendless, and spent most of his free time locked up in his room, reading up on Greek mythology. He embraced the worship of the Greek gods surreptitiously, while on the exterior he played along with his parent's beliefs in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Demitri was quite lucky to be living in the Mediterranean region, though he might as well have lived in Siberia, considering he never left his room. His skin hadn't seen the sun in years. His dark hair grew lank and hung over his pale grey eyes.

His belief in Greek mythology grew stronger with the passing of each day; the rituals became wilder, sacrifices were made, shrines were built. But it wasn't enough; he wasn't satisfied by merely his faith.

It was on the night of his thirteenth birthday when he sat in his room, alone and forlorn, praying to the gods for freedom from the chains that bound him to mortality.

The next morning, he began to see things in a different light.

Literally.

He never knew if it were coincidence, or if his prayer had really worked. Whatever had happened, he knew he had inexplicably developed a new sense overnight, a new power that galvanized him and made him feel invincible.

Demitri was astounded. He knew he was using parts of his mind he had never known about before. All around him he could see spirits. The paranormal had a new meaning, he had a panoramic view of the supernatural.

For the first time in years, Demitri wandered out of the vast piece of land that was his home. The ghost of a sailor led him to the shore. He drifted, in a surreal state, away from the public beaches, until he reached a rocky ledge that dipped into the sea. He could sea nymphs—the Oceanids, he guessed—leaping in and out of the ebb and flow of the Mediterranean Sea.

A warm breeze ruffled his hair, caressing his face, kissing his forehead tenderly. His face adopted a healthy glow after the many trips down to the same ledge, safely guided by his own spiritual senses. His once-lifeless grey eyes assumed a green hue they had never known before. Demitri Galanis was reborn.

Slowly, he began to gather information from different ghosts around him about his new found shamanism. He was, for once in his life happy. He wasn't a loner anymore. The ghosts were his friends. His very, very best friends.

Of course, his best friend was Iris. Iris. She was so stunning, so fragile; green, gossamer wings delicate and so vulnerable to being crushed. She was miniscule, her short, chin length hair framed her beautiful face perfectly.

She accompanied him everywhere he went, perching herself elegantly on his shoulder. Together they worked late into the night, evening after evening, reading and learning more and more about Greek mythology. They developed techniques and practiced them until they were perfected.

As soon as he heard of the shaman tournament when he was fifteen, he immediately leapt up and seized his chance. Lying to his parents about a year-long historical field trip to Japan, he hopped onto his private jet and left for Tokyo.

He passed his preliminaries with flying colours. He reached Patch Village in less than a month. He formed a team with two other wealthy contestants. Everything was going as planned.

Until he saw something. Something so amazing, so breathtaking, he knew he had to have it.

Unfortunately, with the inconvenient appearance of that nuisance­ who was intent on obtaining the King of Spirits, Demitri watched all his plans for becoming Shaman King unravel and go up in smoke. He left for his home in Crete, furiousthat he never got to have what he had wanted so, vowing to do whatever was to be done to obtain it.

And it wasn't necessarily the title of Shaman King.

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Akantha Calpis stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. It had been nearly two weeks since she had been admitted into the hospital after being attacked. With her right arm she pulled and prodded at different parts of her bruised face. Small squares of gauze were placed over the more serious cuts on her face and arms. She pinched the skin on her shoulder and watched a small tent of skin collapse after a shaky moment of rigidity.

Her left arm was sprained in two places and hence put into a sling by the nurses in her ward. It was completely immobile, considering she had sprained her wrist and elbow, two major parts of arm movement.

She had also fractured the patella of her left leg and torn so of the knee's joint cartilage. Though nothing could be done to fix the broken kneecap, surgery had been conducted on the below joint.

Her hair was tied loosely into a ponytail, causing some stray wisps of brown hair to fall into her face, irritating her nose and causing her to sneeze. She rubbed her nose and her hand accidentally brushed across on of her eyes, making her flinch in pain. She bent forward, trying to examine the throbbing closer, only to see that one of her dark, chocolate colored eyes had the red glow of a fading black eye.

She grabbed her crutch with her right hand and hobbled over towards her bed, apparently her sanctuary for ten days. She had been sleeping there for that long, or so the doctors told her. Exhaustion, they had said. Akantha had just shaken her head and grimaced.

Struggling, she attempted to lie down on her bed. Unfortunately, with a nearly immobilized arm and leg, the mere idea seemed virtually impossible. She finally settled on lying on her back across the width of the bed, right leg dangling off the side of the cot.

Melia materialized above her. Akantha didn't so much as twitch. The two sat quietly, enjoying each other's company in a strange, warped way. It was Akantha who broke the silence a few minutes later.

"So…" she said, turning so that she faced the other way. "How come you didn't leave me?"

Melia remained silent. Her lower lip seemed to quiver, but she quickly bent down so her hair hid her face.

"I wanted you to wake up" she said simply.

"And then you would leave?"

The nymph was silent. The turned so that she faced Akantha, which was useless since Akantha initially had her face turned away.

Melia shrugged. "No", she said, flicking a strand of hair from her eyes.

Akantha turned to face Melia, and fixed her with a weary eye.

"Good. Because we are going to find those thugs, and give them the ass-whooping they deserve. Deal?"

Melia stared. Then…

"Deal" she said softly, looking down to hide the smile that was playing at her lips.

Akantha smiled and rolled over, burying herself into the warm bed.

"Good", she said, and then yawned. "But first, I just want to go to sleep already. Sleeping for two weeks straight really wears you out"

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Tamao opened the door of the onsen, squinting into the sunlight, trying to see who had just rung the doorbell. She made out a shape, and jumped back, stammering.

"R-Ren-sama! Uhm, come in. We…eh…weren't…exactly…erm…expecting…" she trailed off, blushing and looking at the floor.

Ren stared.

Yoh appeared at the door behind Tamao. "Hey, Ren!" he said, grinning widely.

Manta pushed his way between the two and squinted up at Ren. "Hey! Great to see you!"

Ren scowled.

"So…" Yoh said, still smiling. "Come on in. We were just about to have lunch."

Ren held out a basket of dumplings and a slight flush began to creep up his face.

"Actually" he began scowling deeply. "Jun sent me to—"

He was interrupted by the shrill sound of the telephone ringing in the hall.

"Hold that thought"

Yoh turned around to reenter the house, but Anna had already beat him to the phone. He watched her curiously.

"Yes…of course…right then" she hung up the phone and looked at Yoh, who just shot her an inquisitive look in return.

"That" she said coolly, "Was the hospital. Apparently, the Greek girl woke up a few days ago and is ready to leave. You just need to sign a few papers."

"What girl?" asked Ren, who was standing in the doorway, leaning against the wall.

Manta opened his mouth to speak, but Anna cut him off.

"Long story. Your _chauffeur_ is outside, right?" she asked, craning her neck, trying to see if there was a car parked outside or not.

"Yeah" began Ren, "But—"

"Good", she said, pushing her way through the door and making her way out into the garden. Halfway out, she turned to face Ren.

"We're going to need a ride to Funbari Hill Hospital".

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**Author's Notes**Thank the gods I finally got that out of my way. Thanks for reviewing, PandaYumi7, with your creative dialogues.

**Remember: **Say no to jelly beans, gummy bears, and any other gummy sweets you might like to eat: They have dead cow in them!


	4. A Thank You Present

**_B e _y **ond **_Th_e _M y _t **h

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**Author's Note: **I am so freaking sorry this is so late! My computer had this…this _lightning power surge _thingy and it was only until last night till we got it fixed. Saw-ry!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the show. Nor do I the manga.

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Akantha turned to face the group of four before her.

"Thank you" she said, trying to turn around properly with her crutch. She nearly fell, but Melia managed to reach out and push her slightly with a single, willowy finger.

"Erm…"

"Yoh. Yoh Asakura." He held out his arm to shake hands, but instead was met with a strange look.

"Oh. Oops." He said, laughing. Ren shook his head, rolling his eyes and muttering "moron" under his breath.

Akantha shot him a glance and quirked an eyebrow, smiling. Ren scowled.

"I'm Anna, Yoh's fiancée" said the blonde itako. "This is Manta" she gestured towards the short boy beside Yoh."

"Well thank you, Anna, Yoh, Manta, and…?" she looked at Ren.

"Ren" he grumbled. "Tao Ren" Akantha nodded, and then looked at Yoh and Anna again.

"Well, I really must be going now." She said, struggling with her crutch. "It was nice meeting the person who saved me"

Yoh smiled warmly. "Sure. Our address is somewhere in those papers" he nodded at the files stuffed into Akantha's sling. "If you ever need anything, just drop by"

Akantha nodded. "Yes, yes." She said, trying to turn around and head towards the door. "I'll be sure to do so"

"Bye!" called Manta, and was met with a short, quick acknowledging hand motion.

The four watched as she disappeared behind a corner.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" asked Manta quietly, craning his neck and trying to catch a glimpse of the hobbling figure around the corner. Yoh looked down sadly at his friend.

"I hope so" he said.

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Tokyo was a bustling city, a melting pot of so many races and religions, an assortment of ancient culture and modern civilization.

As Demitri Galanis strolled through its busy streets, he looked up at the bleak gray sky, gloomily forecasting rain. He looked at his watch, then at the sky, then at his watch again. As if on cue, a single drop of rain fell from the gathering clouds above and landed on his nose.

Demitri looked up again and smiled.

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Akantha limped towards the door of Funbari Onsen. There was a dissonance of clamor coming from inside, barely muffled by the large wooden door before her. She looked at Melia nervously, who merely shrugged.

It had been a week since she had been released from the hospital. An elastic knee brace had replaced her crutch, but her arm was still in a sling. She clutched a basket of flowers in her left hand.

She bent down and placed the basket on the floor, straightened, and took a deep breath. She reached out to knock on the door, but it was flung open before her hand made contact with it, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered blue haired boy of around fifteen.

"Hey man!" he yelled, squinting into the light. "Dude, why do you look so—"

He stopped, mouth still open, as his eyes finally grew accustomed to the light.

Akantha promptly took his pause as her cue.

"Hi, I'm looking for Yoh, my name is—"

She was cut off, however, by the boy sticking his head back inside and yelling,

"Hey Yoh! There's some chick out here who wants to see you!"

Akantha looked at Melia helplessly, whose eyebrows were furrowed together in confusion. A brown haired boy stumbled outside and turned to face her.

He stared at her blankly for a second, but soon realization and familiarity dawned on his face, and he laughed cheerily.

"Hey there" he said, grinning widely. "Akantha. Melia." He nodded at each of them. "What brings you two here?"

"Oh" Akantha said, having momentarily forgotten her own purpose there. "Right" she bent down to pick up the basket of flowers. "These are for you and Anna. A thank you present."

Yoh's eyes lit up. "Hey! Thanks! Anna'll love these." He paused thoughtfully, "I'll tell you what", he said slowly, looking back up at her. "Why don't you stay for dinner? You can meet everyone. I'm sure Anna wouldn't mind."

"Actually" she said uncertainly, shifting the position of her arm in her sling. "I really do have to—"

"Let the babe stay!" boomed a voice from behind them. She craned her neck to see beyond Yoh's shoulder to find the boisterous boy who had opened the door for her leaning against the doorframe, smiling widely. Akantha glared. He just shrugged, the same goofy grin plastered across his face.

"You should stay. He's cute," stated a high-pitched voice behind her.

"Melia!" she exclaimed, swiveling around to face the nymph, who merely shrugged in return. Akantha lowered her voice, "Well, you're certainly not helping" she hissed.

"Come on Akantha" she turned to face Yoh again. "Please?"

She groaned, shaking her head.

"Fine" she began, but the words had barely escaped her mouth before the same blue haired boy jumped down and grabbed her by her arm.

"You won't regret this, foreign girl he said. She looked up to glower at him, but found him looking sincerely…excited. Like a little boy making their first friend in preschool.

As he thrust her into the large house, she heaved a sigh, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

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**Author's Note: **Sorry the ending was so bland. But rest assured the next chapter will be more promising. Once I get the Bio, French, and Chem tests, Biology report, English portfolio and Civics project out of my way. –dies-

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	5. Decisions and Discoveries

**_B e _y **ond **_Th_e _M y _t **h

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**Author's Note: **I don't know what I got myself into when I started this fricking bit of cyberspace I call a story. Every time I stare at this empty document I feel a surge of depression. It's dumb.

**Disclaimer: **Chicken.

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Dinner was loud. In addition to Horohoro, the overexcited boy she met earlier, there was Horo's effervescent sister, complete with rosy cheeks and a well-rehearsed looking smile. Then there was Ren, the boy from hospital the other day scowling at his food and keeping to himself most of the time.

Melia made no effort to mingle with any of the ghosts in the corner of the room; in fact, she remained by Akantha's side the whole time.

Akantha looked like she was about to fall asleep into her bowl of rice. Melia noticed her dropping eyelids and looked around helplessly. "Melia", she murmured.

Melia drew closer. Akantha took a deep breath and murmured something to Melia in Greek. Melia nodded slowly, eyebrows creased together in concern.

"Woah! You guys are speaking in a different language!" boomed a voice over their heads.

"No shit" grumbled Melia as Akantha winced and inhaled sharply. "I wonder what gave it away"

Horo ignored them. "Hey, how do you guys know Japanese in the first place?"

Akantha exchanged a weary look with Melia.

"We were in the Shaman Fights"

There was a moment of silence. And then—

"Awesome"

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Melia was worried. Akantha was beginning to show some signs of fatigue. Her consciousness was slowly slipping away.

"Melia" she murmured. It barely left her lips; too tired to articulate, the call sounder more like a weak breath.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I…forgot…my pills." Akantha said, struggling with string her words together. Her face almost twisted with effort.

"Damn it. We have to go home!" she said, panic flashing across her face. "You might collapse!"

Akantha stared. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the blue haired boy.

Soon the whole table seemed to be part of the conversation, and naturally Akantha's weariness was noticed. They were finally excused to go home.

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"Thank you" Akantha said at the door. "For dinner."

Anna nodded. "Thank you for the flowers. Are you sure you don't need anyone to walk you to the train station?"

"I'm fine" she said, though the very words made her strain under the effort.

Anna looked unconvinced. "If you insist" she said. With one last nod, Akantha turned around and made her way down the stairs.

The night was quiet. The darkness was settling in around them, like a violet coloured silk veil floating down to them. Stars were scattered in the night sky, like pinpricks in the veil, revealing the concealed phantom of the unknown.

Akantha walked slowly so as to keep her breathing steady and even. Melia floated along quietly beside her, eyeing her uncertainly.

"Look" she said suddenly, pointing south. Akantha followed her gaze and found that it rested on a cluster of six or so stars.

"Pleiades" she whispered. Her eyes clouded over, and she continued to walk in a trance like state."

"Do you remember the poem?" Melia asked quietly. Akantha's heart beat faster.

"The seven sisters, born on Mount Cyllene

"Daughters to Titan Atlas and sea-nymph Pleione

"Sisters of the Hyades and the Hesperides

"Compainions of the hunter Artemis…"

Akantha trailed off dreamily. Her heart had expanded so that it had left every corner of her body tingling with energy.

"The storyteller…" she said breathlessly. "What was her name?"

Melia looked upon her mistress. In her emerald green eyes Akantha caught several emotions, of them sadness, fear and a maternal love.

"I don't remember" she said, voice layered with emotion.

Silence settled over them again. The continued to walk along the road to the train station, but Akantha's steps seemed to have more energy to them, as if she were suddenly lighter.

As Akantha dosed in the train, Melia looked down at Akantha's wounds with eyes hollowed with despair and guilt. She was going to discover the truth soon…

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Demitri smiled to himself as he stared at the large roll of paper laid out on his desk. He had spent nearly a week on perfecting it. Dark shadows had formed beneath his eyes due to lack of sleep. Thick, leather bound volumes lay stacked over each other on the floor around him.

He put down his ruler and yawned tremendously. Iris tugged at his sleeve, but he shook her off. With one last look at his completed work, he trudged to hi bed and collapsed on it, closing his eyes and sighing blissfully.

Iris frowned at him and hovered over the paper, held in place by rocks from the Mediterranean Sea he had used as paperweights. Large, swirling letters proclaimed:

**Family Tree of the Greek Gods:**

**Family Connections to the Pleiades**

Iris drew closer, to find that the content, thankfully, was written in Greek. It started, naturally, with Chaos. Then, from his children Uranus and Gaia came many children, of them the titans Iapetus, Oceanus, and Tethys. Iapetus bore Atlas and from Oceanus and Tethys came Pleione.

Iris nodded at the sight of a line joining Atlas and Pleione. And under that, seven sibling connections were drawn, entitled, **Pleiades**. Maia, Asterope, Calaeno, Electra, Alcyone, Taygete. Iris's eyes followed the respective marital connections.

There was the matter of the seventh sister, Dryope, however. A thin, nearly invisible line connected her martially to…

Iris squinted at the miniscule characters, but her eyes soon widened at what she read.

**Dryope-------**Sisyphus_(Mortal)_

"You see Iris?" murmured Demitri. "It all makes perfect sense now…"

Iris looked at her master, then at the paper, and then back at Demitri. Her delicate features were marred with a look of sheer horror.

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Akantha woke up slowly. As her dreams faded into conscious darkness, she didn't bother smothering the darkness with light. Her eyes remained closed.

There she lay for what seemed to be an eternity, floating in the timeless dimension between the conscious and subconscious. Then, gradually, she became tired of hovering. Her eyelids grew restless of being tickled by the sunlight. Then, slowly and yet leisurely, she opened her eyes.

Sunlight streamed through the window and spilt across her bedspread. Akantha blinked and watched the dust swirl in the beams of sunlight for a few minutes before casting aside her covers and making her way out of bed.

"Melia?" she called.

She stood for a few moments before trying again.

"Melia? Melia!"

The nymph shimmered into view. She looked tired, or at least the closest thing a ghost could get to tired.

"Where were you?" asked Akantha, solicitousness evident in her voice.

Melia opened her mouth to answer, but Akantha cut her off.

"Never mind that now" she said, sitting back down on her bed. "I was thinking. We should find those men"

"You mean the people who attacked us?"

"Yes"

Melia was quiet for a minute. "I don't really think we should" she said firmly.

"And why ever not?" retorted Akantha sourly, looking offended.

"Well", began Melia, "for one thing, the boys who have caused you all this affliction are dangerous and they outnumber you. They might be armed"

Akantha looked scandalized. "Are you suggesting" she hissed. "That I am not _strong_ enough to fight those—those, mortals? Are you questioning my shamanic prowess?"

Melia began to reply angrily, but Akantha went on.

"Those _thugs_ are not even shamans! I've beaten people ten times stronger than them in the Shaman Fights!"

Melia scowled at Akantha. It was true her mistress was rather adamant at times, but this was taking it too far. She was too weak to even stay up late, as proven the previous night, and she expects to take on around fifteen—fifteen _ruffians_—each one twice her size?

She watched Akantha as she brooded morosely, and then sighed in surrender. The baleful look on Akantha's face seemed to magically transform to one of happiness.

"Great!" she said happily.

"Do we have a plan?" Melia asked, knowing that Akantha must have spent all week cogitating and formulating one.

Akantha's grin widened.

"Am I Greek?"

Melia rolled her eyes.

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**Author's Note: **I did it. I finally did it. I FINISHED CHAPTER FIVE! I'm so proud.

Now, on to chapter six! x.x"

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	6. Six Doves

**_B e _y **ond **_Th_e _M y _t **h

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**Author's Note: **I type this because I am waiting for my four hour download of iTunes 7 to finish so I can upload songs on my (sexy) new black new generation iPod nano. –proudness-

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Shaman King.

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"This is the alley" Akantha said, stopping abruptly. Melia hovered over her in midair, squinting. Voices floated up to them, raucous, rough, barbaric sounding voices.

"Well then" Akantha said, grip tightening on the hilt of her dagger.

She stepped into the alley with only Melia's ghostly glow to guide her.

She gasped at the scene taking place in front of her.

Four muscular men were huddled around something. At a closer look, Akantha could see a fifth, broader man, holding up an eight-year old boy by the scruff of his shirt, while other, sinewy arms shot out to punch him.

Akantha was whipped into a white hot rage. Fueled by pure anger and yelling commands in Greek, she whipped her dagger out and oversouled Melia into it.

The men turned around and smiled nastily at the sight of her. The largest one dropped the boy, who in turn scurried away. They approached her, still grinning stupidly.

"Look" said one, words slurred by drunkenness—or was it just stupidity. "Its our friend her to beat us up with a kitchen knife"

The man's thuggish cronies guffawed heartily. Why wouldn't they? To them, she seemed like an underweight girl with a knee brace, threatening them with a knife. 

One reached out to grab her hair, but she ducked under him and issued a kick to his stomach. He grabbed her leg, but she propelled herself around, using the other leg to kick his chin. He yelped and staggered away.

Two men suddenly grabbed her from behind causing her to kick blindly in midair. Melia materialized above her. Akantha shouted something to her, and suddenly the men dropped her.

Lifting herself up enough to be able to see what was happening, Akantha saw tendrils of Melia's long hair coiled around the men's necks. They were making rasping noises, eyes bulging and faces purple.

The man whose chin she had previously kick suddenly appeared in front of her, trying to punch her face, but she blocked his attack with her dagger making a thin, clean slice in his hand. He yelled, and tried to hit her again, showering her with drops of his blood. She ducked and slashed at his leg, punching his knee and making him buckle. She managed to dart away before he could fall on her.

The two men that had been chocking were unconscious, and the fourth man was running towards her. Before she could react, he punched her stomach, knocking all the breath out of her and sending her flying until she hit the wall facing the alley.

He approached her, but with a sudden burst of furyoku she managed to issue a strong kick to her crotch. The man screamed in pain and grabbed his groin, tears of pain welling up in the corners of his eyes.

The largest man growled in annoyance. He grabbed Akantha by the hair and flung her across the street. Akantha cushioned the landing impact with a burst of furyoku. She sprung up and tried to slash at the man with her dagger but he seized it and threw it into the alley.

Akantha's breath caught. She was stuck. Melia materialized over her. She summoned a glowing orb of furyoku and hurled it at the man, but a giant, disembodied arm shot out and grabbed it.

Akantha stared, eyes wide in horror, as a ghost of a huge man with a bull's head appeared in front of her. The man smiled wickedly.

"Nice try, missy"

The bull-headed ghost grabbed Melia by the throat, who in turn called upon a surge of furyoku which made spindly roots erupt from the ground and entwine themselves around the bull.

Akantha ducked as the man hurled his arm forward, punching the brick wall above her head instead, causing it to crack.

She darted between his legs and ran into the alley. The man was behind her, and with one, long stride he had managed to grab one of her legs and make her fall onto the ground, grazing her cheek.

The man drew an impressive looking revolver and pointed it at Akantha's head. Akantha yelled and ran, reaching the end of the alley. He heart was pounding in her ribcage. She looked up into the star strewn sky, heart thumping against her ribcage. It couldn't end this way, she can't be beaten, not now, not…

She stopped as she caught sight of something in the sky. Suddenly, she was gripped by a new power, so strong it made her head light. Akantha looked at her feet and found her was floating a few inches off the ground. She looked up again.

Six stars twinkled brightly in the inky black sky.

Galvanized, Akantha summoned whatever furyoku she had left. It gathered in her chest, growing until in spread to fill every inch of her body…

The man's grip tightened on the trigger.

With one last yell, Akantha let out all her energy and hurled it at the man. A look of surprise appeared on his face and he dropped his gun.

Six, giant doves attacked him, pecking at his flesh and the flesh of his ghost. Melia was release and disintegrated into the dark. With one, long burst of light, the birds began to be consumed by a shining light. Fire surrounded the man and his thugs, tendrils gripping them and dragging them downwards.

The ground suddenly opened up beneath them, revealing a swirling abyss. The men were swallowed up, leaving no trace of them.

Akantha panted heavily, drained of any energy she might have had earlier. Something invisible suddenly seized her, spreading through her body.

"That was impressive"

A cold voice floated up to her, sending chills up her spine. She wanted to turn around, but found herself to be paralyzed. She couldn't even open her mouth to retort. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something purple dart away.

Hands suddenly found themselves on her shoulders, cold, strong hands. The voice was in her ear now.

"I wonder if you know what you just did, Calpis" it whispered, making the hairs on the back of her neck prick up. Her heart was suddenly gripped with fear: where was Melia, in all of this?

"She's safe" said the voice with a slight sneer. "Don't worry that pretty head of yours"

The pressure on her shoulders finally lifted, and she saw the purple flash again. Suddenly, she was face to face with a dragonfly sized girl, propelled by translucent wings. She suddenly recognized her to be the flash she had seen earlier.

The tiny girl smiled maliciously, baring a row of pearly white, pointed teeth.

"Iris" said the voice.

For a moment the girl looked over Akantha's shoulder. She then darted over to Akantha's left shoulder.

Akantha wanted to gasp, but she couldn't. Instead, her face contorted with pain as the girl's pointed fangs pierced her skin. She felt the venom spreading in her veins. Her heart beat was slowing, the world before her was dimming.

She caught a glimpse of a fading raven haired boy at her side, but then she saw nothing at all.

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**Author's Note: **Wow. I can't believe it. I was SO not planning on this chapter to end up this way. Long live making things up as you go along!

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	7. Lost Memories

_**B**__** e **_**y **ond _**T**__**h**_**e **_**M**__** y **_**t **h

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**Author's Note: **Please don't kill me! I'm sorry this was so late! BLAME IT ON MY BRAIN! I had the outlines of the next five chapters all planned out but then something huge happened and then I was completely distracted for a month and then ugh! I was going through this huge emotional crisis that I'm still not quite over and then suddenly BAM! I was all like, _Beyond the Myth will help me keep my mind off this! _And so here I am, practically groveling at your feet, devoted readers.

**[resubmitted**

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Shaman King, yo.

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"CHOCOLOVE! SHUT—UP!" bellowed Horohoro, hurling a vase of yellow flowers at the African-American shaman before him.

Sunday night. Reunion night.

Chocolove ducked, and the vase hit the wall behind him and shattered, showering him with shards of glass and flowers.

"Buttercup!" he shouted joyfully, throwing the yellow flowers in the air.

Horohoro roared, and charged at Chocolove, who merely slid away, causing Horohoro to bang his head on the wall behind him.

Manta scuttled into the room.

"Hey!" he said indignantly, surveying the mess on the floor. "Those are Akantha's flowers!"

Ryu entered the room, trying to balance four dishes of sushi without dropping anything. Horohoro stopped in midair, sniffing.

"Is that…" he said, starting to drool.

"SUSHI!" he and Chocolove yelled in unison.

Ren appeared in the doorway.

"Barbarians", he muttered, eyeing the dishes of sushi before him. "Eating raw fish…what's next, cow eyes?"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"LYSERG!" yelled Ryu, nearly dropping his food.

"Give it up you moron" said Ren coldly. "He's. Not. Coming."

"Of course he is!" said Ryu, looking genuinely hurt. "He's my apprentice!"

"I'll get it", said Manta, making his way to the door and rolling his eyes at the same time.

He opened the door, but there was no one there.

"Huh", he said, closing it. He turned around, and saw something green shimmering before him. His eyes bulged.

"G-G-G-GAAAAAAAAAH!" he spluttered, clutching at his chest like he was having a coronary.

Everyone burst into the room simultaneously.

The green thing screamed.

At that moment, Yoh entered the foyer, frowning slightly. "What's going…" he stopped, and his frown deepened when he caught sight of the flickering specter before him.

"Yoh-dono…" said Amidamaru, appearing beside Yoh and causing Manta to jump another foot in the air. "Is that not…?"

But the green thing began fading out of sight.

"Wait!" Yoh called out to it, reaching out. His hand clutched only thin air.

An uncomfortable silence spread through the room.

"Shit man, was that _weird_!" said Horohoro, suddenly breaking the tension.

"Yoh", said Manta quietly, looking up at his friend. "That was Melia, wasn't it?"

Yoh nodded.

"What do we…what's going on?"

"I don't know Manta" said Yoh softly. "But I think I know who might"

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It's an unsettling feeling to wake up staring at someone else's ceiling. This was one of the many thoughts that had flooded Akantha's mind when she woke up with an aching head.

It did not help that, when she tried to get up, she found herself bound to the bed. With ghostly chains, no less.

Nor did it help her mood that Melia didn't come when she called for her. Or that a raven-haired boy did instead.

The aforementioned stranger walked over towards her slowly.

"Good evening..." he whispered, bending close to her and brushing a strau strand of hair from her face.

"_What does he want from me?" _she thought, her heart pounding furiously against her ribcage. She swallowed, trying to soothe her thumping heart.

Demitri suddenly looked up, grinning lopsidedly. "What's that I hear?" he said quietly. He tapped his hand on the nightstand, mimicking the frantic tattoo of Akantha's heart. He then placed his hand on her chest, smiling even more demonically than before. He bent forward, lightly touching his forehead with hers.

Akantha winced, struggling. Demitri gripped her arm with his other hand. She fell silent.

She suddenly opened her eyes, crossed them, and spat in his face.

Demitri yelped in surprise and jumped back.

"You bitch!" he hissed.

"How dare you!" she spat back. "Have you no sense of shame?"

Demitri looked surprised for a moment, but his face soon re-adopted his malicious grin. He laughed coldly.

"Do you _honestly_ think that's what I want from you?" he said, surveying her, amused. He stepped forward.

"You stupid girl…" he said, stroking her cheek. He bent down and pressed his forehead against hers again, but more forcefully this time. Their eyes locked, and Akantha felt herself go rigid.

A sharp pain shot through her and her vision went black. She could feel Demitri inside her head, searching. Visions flashed in her mind. Melia wrapping her hair around her small, frail form; six beautiful, slender women swimming in a sea of blackness; the storyteller from Gavdos…

Through these scenes she could still see the room she was in, but fainter, less distinct. It was as if two screens were playing in her head. She could see Demitri back away, his eyes with happiness and shock.

"It's true…" he muttered. "Yes!" he said, louder. "YES!" he yelled. "_YES!"_

More scenes were flashing in Akantha's head. They were of her, flowers woven in her hair, gold bangles around her arms. She was swimming in the same black sea, riding on the back of a silver bull, ribbons woven around his horns…

Demitri's voice broke into her mind

"YES!"

Akantha regained control of herself for a few seconds. She squeezed, her eyes shut, but it was too late.

The visions were going by faster, now. There's a ringing in her ears. It grows loudr, louder, spreading through her.

Suddenly, all was silent.

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Akantha opened her eyes and found herself in a familiar place. It was twilight, and the stars were twinkling up over head. The inky blue sea stretched around her, her feet dipped into it. It was nice and warm, light and pleasant. She looked around her again, and realized she wasn't able to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.

The storyteller was beside her, braiding her hair.

"How are you, Akantha?" she asked.

Akantha nodded sleepily in reply.

"You know" said the storyteller, proceeding to weave tiny ribbons between the sections of her braid. "We really miss you"

Akantha was getting sleepier. The storyteller let go of her braid. Somewhere, in the distance, she could hear the ringing again.

"Your mother. Your father. Your sisters."

Akantha felt her self slipping into the sea.

"Don't you know yet?" Her voice was getting fainter. The ringing getting louder.

Akantha was waist deep in the water.

"You should know"

_You should know._

Akantha's head went under.

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"It was a spirit apparition" said Anna firmly, passing her itako beads through her fingers.

Everyone was squeezed in the narrow entrance hall, anxiety floating silently in the air.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Manta, white faced.

"Well" said Anna, snorting. "She obviously wasn't here to pop in and say hello"

"Dude…" said Horo softly. "Do you think the foreigner might be in trouble?"

The solemn air was broken with a large bang, and a yelp. Ren had hit Horohoro with the back of his Kwan-Do.

"Of course she's in trouble, you idiot! Do you _want _to be treated like you're mentally subnormal?"

"We have to save her, don't we?" asked Yoh.

"Of course not" said Anna coldly. "You barely know the girl. It's not up to you at all."

"But Anna" said Horohoro. "We can't just knowingly let another human being suffer. Especially not a shaman…"

"Whatever" she retorted, turning around. "Just tell me if you plan on going. I have preparations to make if you do"

"Wait…" said Yoh slowly. "Does that mean you want to come with us?"

"Well, you don't expect me to let you go alone, now, do you? These people deal with a completely different branch of shamanism, one you are not familiar with."

The room was quiet.

"If you're going, I'm coming with you" said Horo defiantly.

"What the hell" said Ren, taking a chug from a bottle of milk. "I could use a challenge. Let's see if these people's powers can match the skill of the legend that is Tao Ren!"

"Chocolove, Ryu, Tamao, and Pirika: You stay here and look after the inn."

The four nodded solemnly.

"But how are we going to find her?" asked Manta.

The doorbell rang, and the door swung open, revealing Lyserg and Morphine.

"There's our answer" said Anna, as Horo grabbed Lyserg's suitcase and flung it inside. Yoh took Lyserg's other arm and began dragging him outside, as Ren began putting his fur-trimmed cape on.

"Um" said Lyserg nervously, looking from one serious face to another. "Am I missing something here?"

Anna made sure everyone was outside before slamming the door shut and turning around to face all five shamans before her.

"Well?" she asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly. "Who would care to do the honor of explaining our lovely little predicament to our fair Sir Diethel here?"

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**Author's Note: **Yay! We've finally reached the climax of this wonderful story! By the by, was listening to Poppy and Mini-Correct while typing this out, both songs by The Beautiful South, if it interests anyone.

Review? ;D

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	8. Shrines and Stories

_**B**__** e **_**y **ond _**T**__**h**_**e **_**M**__** y **_**t **h

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**Author's Note: **Readers! How are y'all? This is the chapter you've all been waiting for. Well, not really. But it's a pretty important chapter nonetheless! It explains the whole myth of which this story is supposedly beyond! Haha! Geddit? Huh? Huh? GEDDIT?

Ahem. Moving on.  
Anyway, you might have to refer to chapter five, because I'm not going to explain the family ties with as much detail as I did then.

Ta-ta!

**Disclaimer: **Shaman King Not Mine. Shaman King also love, but that's a different story, now, isn't it?

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Demitri had his hands clasped against his ears. Akantha looked as if she were having a seizure; her eyes had rolled to the back of her head and she was thrashing around and screaming.

"Stop that infernal screeching!" he yelled, but with no avail. He grabbed a heavy tome on his desk, and was about to use it to knock her out when she suddenly fell silent. He dropped the book on the floor and sank down into his chair, running his fingers through his hair.

Melia suddenly appeared, furious. He looked at her and groaned.

"Ah, fu—"

"SHUT _UP"_ she yelled, interrupting him. She tried to shoot an orb of energy at him but Iris materialized in front of him just in time to fire a protective shield. Melia suddenly found herself bound by the same ghostly chains as Akantha.

She struggled, but with no avail.

"Go to hell!" she spat at him.

"Now, now" said Demitri. "No need to be in such a _foul_ mood. That's no attitude for the _greatly honored _Protector of Dryope to assume!

"I wonder" he continued, surveying her, "What would Atlas do of he found out about the state his poor daughter is in now?"

Melia suddenly whisked her head around and caught sight of the comatose Akantha, laying down on the bed, looking pale and lifeless.

"HOW DARE YOU!" she shrieked. A tendril of her forest-green hair shot out and wrapped itself around his neck, strangling him.

She pulled him forward, so that they were face to face. Melia's angry green eyes flashed with fury.

"Do you think that in all the centuries I have been protecting her" she hissed. "I can sit and watch you do this?"

"From the very first time", she went on, tightening the grip of her hair on Demitri's neck. "From the very first time the great titan Atlas asked me to watch over his and the sea-nymph Pleione's youngest daughter Dryope, I _knew _it was a duty to which I would have to oblige for all of eternity."

She looked away, tears spilling from her eyes.

"All of Atlas and Pleione's seven children" she said softly. "The Pleiades, they all had affairs with the gods. Even with the Olympian gods—Zeus, Ares, Poseidon—pursued them. Except for Dryope. Yes, she was courted by Orion. But her heart was with Sisyphus of Earth"

She looked at him again, with tear filled eyes.

"Atlas had noticed Dryope's frequent visits to earth, of course. As soon as he learned of her affairs with Sisyphus, she was faded from the heavens. The Seven Sisters of the night sky had become Six"

She made the mistake of relaxing the grip of her hair on his neck. As soon as she did so, the rope of hair was sliced in half, breaking the bind between her and Demitri. She looked up, only to see Iris grinning maliciously at her.

"That's a very touching story" said Demitri, rubbing his neck. "But as I remember, Atlas wasn't completely merciless. Yes, she was banished from Olympus. But she was still granted the ability to be reincarnated and the power to control the wandering souls who have not yet reached the underworld.

"You see", he said, turning to her. "She does not deserve this power. Who does not want to live forever? She knows not of this wonderful fate. She is not thankful. Like I will be, once her gift is mine"

Melia's eyes widened.

"You _bastard!_" she yelled. "You really think that you'd be able to get away with all this shit? I went for help. And they'll put a stop to this!"

Demitri laughed. "You stupid Nymph. I think your tree is growing diseased. I saw the shamans Dryope was with. They were _weak_"

"Weak" she said coldly.

"Yes. Good Nymph. You're beginning to understand. None of them would be able to help Dryope"

"Oh" she said, her voice devoid of emotion. She looked away. "Not even if one of them were an itako?"

Demitri's face paled.

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"Okay" said Lyserg. "I think this is it"

Horohoro looked up at the deluxe hotel before him.

"Oooh", he said. "Swanky"

The six had used the flowers Akantha had given to Anna and Yoh to help Lyserg. They had been tracking her down for roughly an hour.

And now here they were.

"Well" said Manta. "Shall we go in?"

The others looked at him, surprised.

"What?" he asked, nervously.

"Well," said Yoh gently. "Um. These people might be dangerous—"

"Oh come on!" said Manta crossly. "I've been to the Shaman Fights, and I was there when you defeated Hao, and don't forget, I was practically dissected by Faust, you know, back when he was all bad and stuff, and here I am, still fit as a fiddle, and—"

"All right, shortstop, you can come. Just shut up, will you?"

Manta clamped his mouth shut and nodded furiously, quickly hurrying after the others as they entered the huge hotel complex.

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Demitri was busy making preparations.

He didn't care about any goddamned itako. It didn't matter, as long as he was ready.

"You know" he said to Melia. "It was very hard choosing which god I should ask for the transfer in powers".

All he got in reply were muffled sounds. He had made Iris wrap Melia's hair around her own face so that her mouth was covered. The occasional muffled scream or two were a welcome change to the non-stop screaming he had been enduring for the past ten minutes.

"At first, I thought of Zeus. But he would never go through with it, he was too _good_. He was the one who put the Pleiades in the sky in the first place.

"Then I thought, Hades? But I was sure he would try to create some kind of loophole that would forever bind me to the Underworld. Dionysus was too drunk to undergo something so major; Artemis was the greatest companion of the Pleiades…

"And then it hit me," he said. "Poseidon. Definitely powerful, he sank Atlantis, you know. And Atlas was king of Atlantis. He must have some kind of grudge against Atlas…"

Melia began thrashing in her chains, her muffled yells still loud enough to be heard. Without turning around, he lazily raised a hand and jerked it in her direction. A blast of light hit Melia square in the chest, causing her head to drop and her body to grow limp.

He delicately set up a miniature statue of Poseidon, holding his trident defiantly. It shone in the light from the halogen lamp in the corner of the suite.

"Platinum, with core of gold" he said quietly. "Cost me a fortune. But what better gift to give a god?"

He turned to face Melia. "I'm going to have to move you aside," he said softly. He flicked his hand lazily so that she floated towards the corner and hovered there.

The bed on which Akantha was lying was now facing the small shrine Demitri had set up.

The door was suddenly blasted open.

"AKANTHA!" a short blond boy gasped, and shot towards the bed, followed by a taller, blue haired boy.

Ren leapt up in the air, somersaulted, and landed neatly in front of Demitri, the blade of his Kwan-Dao flashing as he held it to his neck.

"Come on, Greek boy" he hissed menacingly. "Let's see what you can do!"

Demitri threw a punch at Ren's face, who dodged it and swung his Kwan-Dao at his feet, causing him to fall to the floor.

Demitri raised a hand.

"IRIS!" he called, but instead was met by a crystal pendant slashing at his face. A pink, winged spirit similar in build to Iris waved cheerily at him from inside the crystal, as the wire it was attached to retracted to wrap around a trapped Iris.

Anna had managed to free Akantha and Melia, and Manta and Horohoro were frantically trying to rouse Akantha.

"Guys" said Manta. "Guys! She won't wake up!"

"Of course she won't wake up, you stupid midget!" growled Demitri. "Can't you see she's comatose?"

"Comatose?" said Yoh, dumbfounded, frowning deeply.

"Of course" said Demitri. "Her mortal body is rejecting her. Now _move!_" he said, elbowing Ren in the ribs, catching him unawares and flinging him across the room.

He rushed towards his shrine.

"POSEIDON!" he called. "I CALL UPON YOU, TO HELP IN PUNISHING THIS UNGRATEFUL CHILD OF ATLAS! TRANSFER HER IMMORTALITY, OH GREAT ONE. SHE DESERVES IT'S LOSS, AFTER USING HER GODLY GIFTS FOR CONSORTING AND FORMING MARITAL TIES WITH _MORTALS_!"

Ren suddenly flew at him, pinning him to the wall and interrupting his summoning.

There was a collective gasp from the people at the other end of the suite. Akantha had begun rising into the air.

And she was _glowing_.

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**Author's Note: **Wheeeee. I wish I could glow. I hope that this chapter made you want to re-skim through the story and marvel at your sudden understanding of everything. 'Cause, you know. That was my intention. This chapter was fun to write. But, sadly, this story is almost finished. –stifledsob-

Review!

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	9. A Rush of Power

_**B**__** e **_**y **ond _**T**__**h**_**e **_**M**__** y **_**t **h

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**Author's Note: **The end is near. –dumdumduuum-

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Shaman King. Really.

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Everyone froze and turned around to watch Akantha.

Her body was floating a couple of inches above the bed to which she was previously chained. Her back started bending forward as if she were sitting up. But strangely she hadn't moved.

It took a couple of blinks and eye-rubs for everyone to finally realize that it was her spirit.

Another collective gasp was heard.

Manta edged towards her. She was now completely detached from her body, floating away from it, looking very disoriented.

"Akantha?" he asked quietly.

"Manta…" she replied. Her voice seemed more distant, hollower.

"Are you—are you dead?" he asked, trembling.

"I don't think so…" she said, pointing towards her solid form, which had now dropped back down onto the bed. "Look"

Everyone turned to look. Sure enough, Akantha's body was definitely alive, the chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.

The ghost Akantha uttered a tiny scream, causing all heads to snap back towards her.

She was being pulled backwards. She whirled around and found her self face to face with the shrine. Melia frantically leapt forward, trying to pull her back, but all her attempts were in vain; the force of the pull was too strong.

A yell of triumph sounded through the suite. Demitri began glowing, just as Akantha did before her spirit was ejected from her body. He began cackling like crazy, causing Horo to nudge Ren and whisper, "Dude, is he for real?"

Demitri abruptly stopped laughing and thrust his hand forward, sending shockwaves of energy through room, causing everyone to fall down.

"DO NOT MOCK ME!" he roared, his eyes flashing with an odd blue light. All of a sudden, Akantha slipped through Melia's grasp and accelerated towards the shrine. She screamed one last time, and was sucked into the shrine, her ghostly shriek echoing in the ears of everyone.

The phantom of her scream, however, was lost, as Demitri began to emit a strange light. Still laughing wickedly, he flexed his fingers in front of his eyes, a euphoric expression plastered across his face.

"What did you do to her?" yelled Manta indignantly. "Bring her back!"

Demitri rounded on him, snickering at his valiance. He raised his arm and sliced it through the air, causing a deep gash to appear across the side of Manta's face. Ignoring Yoh's cry of "Manta!", he turned towards Lyserg and pushed both arms in front of him, knocking Lyserg off his feet and causing him to sail through the air and hit his head on the opposite wall. He slid down, unconscious, a trickle of blood running from his mouth.

"You've gone too far!" bellowed Horo, proceeding to oversoul Kororo into his headband. He fired a blast of ice at Demitri, who in turn simply flicked his wrist, causing the block of ice to shatter.

Yoh stepped forward. His eyes weren't soft anymore.

"Enough is enough. You've hurt my friends and you've robbed an innocent shaman of her powers. I don't want to fight you. But I will if you refuse to stop what you are doing."

Realization flitted across Demitri's face, and he threw his head back and laughed.

"I knew I'd seen you before! You are the brother of that nuisance. I've heard stories about you Asakura."

Yoh drew Harusame.

"Very well then. Amidamaru! Oversoul!"

The silver-haired samurai materialized beside him.

"Hai, Yoh-dono!"

Yoh's furyoku poured into his sword. His eyes were closed in deep concentration.

"Yoh!" Anna yelled. Yoh's eyes snapped open just in time to hold a shield up to protect himself from Demitri's blast of energy.

"Listen to me, Yoh" said Anna. "He's not using a spirit medium"

"I know" said Yoh, dodging the attack after Demitri effortlessly deflected it.

"Where have you seen this before? Think, Yoh"

Yoh shielded his eyes from the bright glow Demitri was emitting.

"In the Shaman Fights!" yelled Ren, who had oversouled Bason into his Kwan-Dao and leapt beside Yoh.

"Team Enceous!" shouted Horo, who had landed on Yoh's other side.

Yoh dodged another attack. "He's—he's channeling his furyoku—"

"Into himself, yes" said Anna calmly.

"Smart girl" said Demitri. "You must be the itako." He paused, letting his eyes travel across the length of the body. "Not much when it comes to presentation, now are you?" he sneered.

"Oh dude!" said Horo, openmouthed. "You shouldn't have—"

But it was too late. Anna gave a resentful shriek and raised her itako beads. But instead of hurling them at Demitri she flung them at Iris, who was fluttering helplessly in Lyserg's homing pendulum's wire.

She gave a tiny shriek as her delicate, feathery wings were crushed and she was propelled into Anna's open hand.

"Iris!" yelled Demitri, letting his guard down in shock, earning him a hit in the face from a block of ice.

"You don't need her now" she snarled at him. "Just as Akantha never really needed Melia, as you found out earlier tonight"

"Shut up, you stupid bitch!" growled Demitri.

"Of course," she continued. "You meant to find out beforehand. Which is why you lured her to Tokyo, over which the Pleiades would be aligned exactly. You didn't expect her to fight so poorly against that shaman you had hired to attack her. But to your sheer _dumb luck _she decided to seek vengeance. And her sisters appeared to help her, as doves, the form Zeus turned them into before turning them into the stars"

"I was wrong" he said through gritted teeth. "You've done a good job researching, itako"

"It was _you!_" said Yoh accusingly. _"You _set that gang on Akantha?"

"Good job, Sherlock" said Demitri mockingly, firing another blast of energy at Yoh.

"Yoh!" yelled Ren. "Quick, channel your furyoku through him, he won't be able to control it!"

But before either had a chance to carry on this plan, they were distracted by a shuddering sound. All four whisked their heads around, only to see the statue of Poseidon trembling.

And then it exploded.

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**Author's Note: **BOOM! Explody! Ahaha, yes, ahem. Anyways, this was another explain-everything chapter so that not everything would appear to be totally random. And did I mention that this is the chapter before last? Yes, 'tis true.  
Oh well!

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	10. Revenge

_**B**__** e **_**y **ond _**T**__**h**_**e **_**M**__** y **_**t **h

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**Author's Note: **From "The End", by The Doors:

_This is the end _

_My only friend, the end _

_Of everything that stands, the end _

_No safety or surprise, the end_

_I'll never look into your eyes again_

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Shaman King. Hiroyuki Takei does, though, you can ask him bout whatever :D.

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"What the—"

With a flash of bright light, seven women had appeared, graceful Greek tunics draped around their slender forms. Necklaces fit elegantly into their collarbones, and their wrists were adorned with many gold bangles and bracelets. Coloured belts and sashes were placed around their hips, flowers and ribbons braided into their hair. But although they were beautiful, they were fierce. Their eyes shone with tales of many fights, hardships, and much pain.

The youngest stepped forward, holding in her hand what looked like a large, golden pitchfork.

"_Akantha?_" asked Manta, dumbfounded. Akantha turned to him and smiled.

"Hey there, Manta" she frowned. "Oh Manta. You're bleeding!"

"Akantha…" this one was a quieter, more maternal voice.

"Melia…" said Akantha, turning around and smiling gently at the nymph.

"Poseidon's trident!" snarled Demitri. "That's supposed to be _mine!_"

One of the sisters turned on him.

"Jealous, are you?" she said with hard eyes. "It's not supposed to be yours, not at all. All you wanted were Dryope's powers. I don't think Poseidon will be very pleased when he finds out that his very own _trident _was going to be the next object of your pursuit".

"You must have forgotten, you stupid boy," she continued, smiling mischievously now. "That two of us were pursued by Poseidon, and we bore him sons as well. He would never harm any one of us"

"Alcyone and Calaeno" he groaned. "I forgot"

"We know you did" said Akantha sharply. "You chose the wrong god to beg for favor from, Galanis"

She pulled the arm holding the trident back expertly, and held the other in front of her, legs wide apart and crouching.

"What are you—" he began, but was cut off by her hurling the trident at him. It twirled through the air and caught him by his shirt, pinning him to the wall. He roared in anguish and fury, and tried to fire a blow at one of the sisters. It hit the tallest square in the chest, knocking her to the ground.

The eldest, in turn, shrieked and drew a bow and arrow as she stood. The bow was made of light, springy material, but very, very strong. It was long, slender and beautiful. A silver arrowhead glinted in the dim light as she strung the bow and aimed it at Demitri's heart.

"You can't defeat me with a bow and arrow" sneered Demitri.

"It's not just any bow and arrow, young and foolish one" she replied, pulling her hand back. "It was fashioned from a mixture of wood from several trees by each tree's respective Dryad. Only one goddess could earn such a favor."

Demitri's pace paled.

"Artemis" he whispered in horror.

"Exactly"

She let go.

It was as if everything froze to watch the arrow sail across the room. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. It sliced smoothly through the air and buried itself neatly in Demitri's chest. Demitri let out one last scream of anguish before he was engulfed by flames and sucked into the ground.

Akantha stepped forward and picked up the fallen trident. "Have a fun time in the underworld, you bastard" she muttered harshly.

Silence flooded the room.

"Akantha!" Manta rushed over the debris towards her. "Akantha, are you okay?"

Lyserg stirred in the corner.

"Wha—what happened?" he asked drowsily.

And the room exploded.

Horo hurried towards Lyserg, and Melia tore across the room to embrace Akantha, Yoh sauntered over to the Pleiades to talk to them, accompanied by a furiously flushing Amidamaru, while Anna calmly made her way over to the kitchenette and began making tea.

"Akantha…" said Melia, tears gushing from her emerald eyes. "I'm so glad—for centuries—you—your sisters—" and she burst into fresh peels of sobs.

Akantha, in turn, hugged Melia tightly. "Melia…" she whispered. "I remember everything…"

Melia merely continued sobbing. Akantha placed her hands on the nymphs shoulder and shook her gently.

"Melia" she said firmly. "Melia"

Melia looked up.

"I want you to go back to your ash tree"

"But…" piped Manta. "That means…you don't need your spirit anymore…but that means…"

He looked at the motionless body on the cot. It looked paler, less alive.

"I'm not going back, Manta" said Akantha quietly.

"What?"

The three turned around to find Ren standing behind them, arms folded against his chest.

Akantha's face split into a smile. "I remember you" she said. "Ren, right?"

Ren ignored her. "Are you going to die?" he asked abruptly.

Akantha's smile faded. She looked at her sisters, and then up, as if she could see the night sky through the ceiling. She smiled faintly.

"I suppose I was never really alive to begin with, Ren. What is being alive if you can't ever die?"

She felt a hand clap her on the shoulder. She turned around to see Yoh, grinning at her.

"We'll definitely miss you" he said.

Horohoro walked over, with Lyserg leaning against him, limping slightly. His knee was twisted at an awkward angle, and he was bleeding profusely from a wound on his head.

"That fairy sure can bite" he said, smiling weakly.

"What's going on?" asked Horo.

"Akantha's not coming back" said Anna simply, handing around cups of tea to those who were able to drink it.

"Dryope…" came a soft voice from behind them all. The Pleiades were waiting.

Akantha looked longingly back at everyone. Her eyes filled with tears, but she was smiling.

"Well" she said. "Goodbye then"

Manta bit his lip and looked away, Horo looked at the floor. Ren scowled and muttered something about fresh air, while Anna continued sipping her tea.

Lyserg stuck out his hand. "It was nice to meet you" Lyserg said, sticking out an arm.

She took it firmly in hers. "Good luck on all your endeavors, Sir" she said, smiling slightly, causing him to beam proudly.

She let go of his hand, and joined it with one of her sisters. The seven stood in a circle. There was a blinding white flash, and as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone. They turned around to see that Melia had gone as well, back to her tree, to her sisters, to her hidden forest somewhere in the heart of the earth; but no one could know for sure.

Manta slipped outside, onto the balcony. He leaned against the banister—or, at least, tried to—and looked up. And for one, fleeting, shadow of a moment, the cluster of six stars up overhead became seven.

But only for a moment.

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**THE END**

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**Author's Note: **So that's it. That's the end of Beyond the Myth. The end of all those hours – yes, literally _hours_ – of research, of scanning Greek god family trees, of writers block. I have to say, I never expected myself to be so emotionally attached to this story. After all, it _is _my first multi-chapter fanfic.

I want to thank all the amazing authors and authoresses on fanfiction, for knowingly and _un_knowingly inspiring me. I want to thank all my readers, especially those who have stuck by this story to the end.

I also wanna give a big shout out to Louise, because she's an absolute idiot, and that's why I love her. But most of all, thanks Pearla and Sorrel for always being there for me.

Before I forget, I'd like some constructive criticism please. If I get enough of the right kind of feedback I might consider writing a sequel. No, I will not revive any characters and such, but I _will _use a different myth. I have many good ideas, and I'm not just referring to Greek mythology here, I'm talking about Chinese, Norse, Egyptian, anything. And I'll make sure that relating whichever myth I chose to the SK gang won't be as random as it was it was in this story.

Thanks everyone. Here are a few wise words from the ancient Greek poet, Hesoid, from his _Works and Days_.

_"And if longing seizes you for sailing the stormy seas, _

_when the Pleiades flee mighty Orion _

_and plunge into the misty deep _

_and all the gusty winds are raging, _

_then do not keep your ship on the wine-dark sea _

_but, as I bid you, remember to work the land."_

Rock on, Hesoid.

xxx

Terria A. Levend

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